Free Copy of Microsoft Bob with Each XP CD

“Windows XP became the most effective Microsoft Bob deployment tool ever developed. And if you go way back into your closet, dig out your copy of Windows XP, and can somehow channel the right spirits to mash your hands on the keyboard in exactly the right way, then out of your encryption program will come a copy of Microsoft Bob.”

I attended last year’s Techdays here in Portugal and on the last day there was a talk given by Raymond. One of the stories he told (something he’s great at) was precisely this one with MS Bob being included in each XP.

For its intended market, it wouldn’t have been TERRIBLE, except it was an insulated, limited environment (and Windows 3.1 apps weren’t at all integrated.) Also, it seemed to spend more time being cute than actually being intuitive.

However, it had very high system requirements for the time, so the only computers that could run it were enthusiast systems.

While there weren’t any filesystem protections, you at least couldn’t log in as a user that wasn’t the default user, without a password. Bob, you could actually log in directly as a certain user that way.

Now aint that the truth? I don’t know how many times I explained to people that even though they put a password on their Win9x system anyone could just press escape or click the cancel button to login anyway. A few times I even had to prove it since they didn’t believe me. Of course then they’d ask me why it was even put in if it was so useless, and I just had to shrug and say it was Microsoft and no one really knows what their programmers and marketing people are thinking.

Nope, it was user passwords. Win9x did have those though as you rightfully point out there were useless. The network login and user password dialogs worked the same way and even looked the same for the most part, and both were about as insecure is you can get.

I never ran BOB, but I did donwload a shareware program called BUBBA. It had a guy in overalls. I remember if you clicked somewhere that made no sense, he would say something like, “Why fer you doin’ that?”

I know Bob gets no love, but when I bought my first PC which was a Packard Bell, they had similar software to Bob on it. At first I kept it on there because I didn’t know any better and it was a way to navigate to the system. Then when I started poking around more and installing games and needed the memory it soon came up. It also gave me a faster boot up time with it disabled. I wonder if it was the same code as Bob or if they just coded it themselves and took the Bob idea.

Windows 3.1 had a lot of third-party shells available for it. My favourite was Xerox Tabworks. Instead of Program Manager with all the windows inside of another window, it used a tabbed notebook look. Each progman window was a tab. And there was a strip down the side where you could put your fave apps for quick access. Made things so much nicer and easier.

There was a Windows 9x version, but it didn’t work nearly as well. This is the one thing I miss about Windows 3.1.

Windows 3.1 had a lot of third-party shells available for it. My favourite was Xerox Tabworks. Instead of Program Manager with all the windows inside of another window, it used a tabbed notebook look. Each progman window was a tab. And there was a strip down the side where you could put your fave apps for quick access. Made things so much nicer and easier.

There was a Windows 9x version, but it didn’t work nearly as well. This is the one thing I miss about Windows 3.1.

My favorite Windows 3.1 shell replacement was the IBM Workplace Shell for Windows. You got a nice OS/2 desktop with right-mouse dragging, etc. Very nice, and a free download.

never had the full experience. Later they kept part of the navigator just for tech support. You were presented with a picture of a computer and a book shelf above it. The books were the computerized manuals of the computer and the computer was clickable to “diagnose” the computer if you were having problems.

I thought it was pretty funny that you could click on the mouse to “diagnose it”. Yup, you clicked on the mouse picture with your mouse. It works. Andy yes, if you click on the monitor, it probably means the monitor is at least partially working.